North Memorial Health Top Doctors Recognized by MN Monthly
North Memorial Health is proud to have 12 physicians named to Minnesota Monthly’s “Top Doctors” list for 2020. To create their list, the magazine asks doctors across the state one question: “If you or a loved one needed medical care, which doctor would you recommend?”
While 2020 has proven to be a challenging year, our focus on caring for our community has never been sharper. We strive to treat our patients like family, and that means being there for them through thick and thin. Our doctors named to Minnesota Monthly’s list exemplify this mentality across our health system on a daily basis.
“These physicians truly bring a unique blend of expertise and compassion to their work that makes a difference in how we can provide care for our patients,” said J. Kevin Croston, MD, CEO, North Memorial Health. “Their peers have recognized the hard work and dedication we get to see them put on display regularly. I am very proud they are a part of our health family.”
Thank you to all North Memorial Health caregivers for going above and beyond to treat our patients like family.
North Memorial Health “Top Docs”
Leslie A. Baken, MD – Infectious Disease
North Memorial Health Specialty Clinic – Maple Grove | North Memorial Health Hospital
In her over 25 years of experience as an infectious disease physician, Dr. Baken has learned the importance of listening. She strives to hear her patient’s facts, fears and experiences. By uncovering their needs, she is able to learn things about her patient’s experiences and issues that critically affect their health.
Farha Khan, MD, FACE – Endocrinology
North Memorial Health – Minnetonka Medical Center
Dr. Khan leads our endocrinology and diabetes practice and has extensive experience treating disorders of the endocrine system including type 1 and 2 diabetes, pituitary and adrenal disorders, osteoporosis, thyroid issues, metabolic bone disease and more. Dr. Khan actively involves her patients in their care plan and treatment options, clearly explaining the potential benefits and side effects with each alternative. She uses a team approach to diabetes management, working closely with dietitians and diabetes educators.
Joseph I. Levine, MD – Oncology, Hematology
North Memorial Health Cancer Center – Robbinsdale
Dr. Levine’s philosophy in healthcare is that no single treatment approach is applicable to all patients. He believes that therapy must be individualized in order to yield the best outcomes. He also believes in the power of education and hopes that after every encounter his patients have a greater understanding of their disease and the rationale for therapy. Dr. Levine enjoys all of the complexities of hematology and oncology and has specific interests in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies, hepatobiliary and pancreas cancers, as well as lymphoma and malignancies of the bone marrow.
Mark Prebonich, MD – Internal Medicine
North Memorial Health Internal Medicine – Maple Grove
Dr. Prebonich specializes in providing comprehensive care to adults with multiple, complex medical problems. He has a special interest in musculoskeletal ultrasound evaluation and in performing ultrasound guided joint aspirations and injections.
Todd Stanhope, MD – Obstetrics/Gynecology
North Memorial Health Hospital
Dr. Stanhope specializes in providing care the Family Birth Center. By being continually present, he and his partners are able to rapidly respond to any concerns that might arise during a woman’s labor at any time of day. His clinical interests include vaginal birth after Cesarean, medical complications of pregnancy, emergency OB/GYN care and contraception. Above all, he most enjoys working with the patient and her family to achieve a safe delivery consistent with her preferences.
Joseph R. Van Camp, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgery
North Memorial Health Hospital
Dr. Joseph Van Camp approaches patients as individuals and tries to listen to their concerns and how a disease affects their lives. He makes recommendations for a care plan and then together decides on the best way to proceed for each individual. He believes both the patient and the provider need to feel they have made the right choices regardless of the outcome.
Ketan Patel, PhD, DDS – Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
North Memorial Health Hospital | North Memorial Health Specialty Clinic – Robbinsdale
Dr. Ketan Patel’s extensive training and work with head and neck cancer patients allows him to apply evidence-based knowledge from the laboratory to the clinical setting. From a trauma perspective, his renowned experience allows him to treat all patients with head and neck trauma, including applying various microvascular reconstructive techniques. He strives to provide a variety of treatment options to all his patients.
Robert Michael King, MD – Cardiothoracic Surgery
North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Center – Robbinsdale | North Memorial Health Hospital
As a cardiac surgeon, Dr. King is highly skilled in cardiac, coronary artery bypass, valve repair and replacement, TAVR and Aortic aneurysm surgery.
Avanti Hemrotra, MD – Oncology, Hematology
North Memorial Health Cancer Center – Robbinsdale | North Memorial Health Specialty Clinic – Maple Grove
Dr. Mehrotra is passionate about taking care of individuals with cancer. Her specialties include all medical oncology and hematology with special emphasis on breast cancer, multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and thoracic oncology. She is the medical oncology leader for multidisciplinary breast cancer care, and she serves on the oncology pharmacy committee.
Dr. Mehrotra is a dedicated and caring physician who communicates well and builds a strong team to advocate for her patients. Known for her thoughtfulness and sincerity, patients value her commitment and ultimate goal of successful survivorship with empowerment of patients and families, alike.
Mark L. Solfelt, MD – Thoracic Surgery
North Memorial Health Cancer Center – Robbinsdale | North Memorial Health Hospital
Dr. Solfelt is a thoracic surgeon committed to providing the highest quality surgical care using innovation, skill and compassion. He strives to spend as much time as it takes to help patients and their families feel well-cared for and well-informed. His practice focuses solely on non-cardiac surgery including all aspects of lung surgery as well as diseases of the pleural space and chest.
By using minimally invasive surgery like robotic-assisted lung surgery, Dr. Solfelt has been instrumental in establishing North Memorial Health as a leading program in Minnesota. These innovations have allowed our patients to recover faster with minimal disability. He also helped to create a coordinated, team approach among all the specialists to bring efficiency and improved results to his patients.
Lucy Esberg, MD, FACC – Heart & Vascular
North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Clinic – Monticello | North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Clinic – Buffalo | North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Clinic – Minnetonka | North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Clinic – Maple Grove | North Memorial Health Heart & Vascular Center – Robbinsdale
Dr. Esberg’s practice is heavily weighted in vascular medicine which includes peripheral arterial disease, venous disease, lymphedema, and lower extremity wounds. She also treats unusual vascular issues such as aortitis and Raynaud’s.
Dr. Esberg believes in transparency and ensuring patients understand the risks and benefits associated with all their care options. She treats each patient as an individual, striving to apply a well-rounded, reasonable care plan to everyone. She knows that what works for some patients does not work for all.
Dr. Esberg is creative in her treatment plans, being open to marrying the most simple and natural approaches to care. Most of all, she hopes that her patients feel protected, cared for and loved. She has been described as energetic, happy, pragmatic and loving.
Rohaan F. Mehta, MD – Pain Management
North Memorial Health Hospital
Dr. Mehta offers a comprehensive approach to treating patients suffering from painful conditions. He believes that by addressing pain as soon as it starts, rather than waiting to see how it develops, the pain can be more effectively identified and treated in the long-term. Dr. Mehta creates individualized treatment plans for his patients to manage subacute and chronic pain, using a multimodal methodology that includes safe medication management, physical rehabilitation, behavioral therapies and complementary therapies.
Dr. Mehta also has extensive experience in advanced minimally invasive interventional procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of pain, including radiofrequency denervation, vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, spinal cord stimulation, discography, sympathetic nerve blocks, and cervical thoracic and lumbar spinal procedures, among others.